Team Natural Gennell P

Name: Gennell P

City: Nesbit, MS.

How long have you been natural? I’ve been natural for a 1yr and 6 months now.

What made you want to go natural? My daughter has eczema, and her hair fell out, and I had to learn how to take care of her hair because she could not have relaxers any more. So I made the decision to transition as well.

How long did it take you to grow your hair completely out? My plan was to transition for a year, but I transitioned for 7 months, and cut the rest of my relaxed ends off.

How do you deal with your edges (while transitioning)? I didn’t have any problems with my edges. I wore styles that blended in with the rest of my hair.

Do you have to wash it every day? In the beginning I was shampooing it 2-3 times a week, to try to keep it moisturized which was difficult, and now I only shampoo once a week.

What products do you use? I use Jojoba oil by organics, organic hair thickener, castor oil, coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil. For my shampoos & conditioners I use Shea Moisture line and Biotin Shampoo these are healthy products for your hair.

How do you get it straight? I was heat free for 1year and 5 months, and finally wanted to see how much growth I had so I straighten my hair once, I had it pressed with the “hot comb”, or you can blow dry it straight as well.

How often do you cut your hair? I cut my hair every 3 months

Do you have any advice for anyone who wants to go natural? Research, research, research! You are to treat ALL of your hair as if it’s already NATURAL very important especially if you plan to transition for more than a few months or a year or more. Treat your hair in the beginning as if it’s already natural, so you can prevent breakage. Make sure to condition & deep condition your hair and keep it moisturized. Everyone transitions differently its best if you do braids or sew-ins but not to do them often because it can break your edges, and then you’ll have to find a way to grow them back. You-tube was my best friend but you have to also be careful with that as well, because what works for others may not work for you. Choose a product you’d think would work best for you can try it for about a month, try not to become a product junkie, but it will be so difficult. Stay motivated, don’t let anyone tell you that NATURAL isn’t for everyone, sure enough it will get difficult at times trying to figure out what works best for you, but you once you work with your hair and tame it you’ll be fine.